Like many of today’s painters, Chris Vance of Des Moines, Iowa, has developed a colorful style that draws heavily on cartoons and illustration, creating fanciful images of beings that can be interpreted as quirky costumed revelers or nonthreatening aliens.
The works might be thin when it comes to conceptual substance, but they are undeniably fun and accessible, qualities that no doubt explain why 44T Artspace, 4400 Tennyson St., is presenting its second exhibition devoted to Vance.
The show, titled “Late Night Calls,” contains about 70 acrylic and mixed- media works — some no larger than 6 by 6 inches. It runs through Feb. 28, with the artist in attendance from 7 to 10 tonight during a First Friday reception that is open to the public.
The show’s centerpiece is “24 Pack,” a 4-by-6-foot mosaic of 1-foot-square acrylic panels depicting dozens of Vance’s whimsical, off-beat figures.
Viewing hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Free. 303- 433-1073 or .
Kyle MacMillan
